DATE: May 4, 2026
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Stefan Chatwin, City Manager
FROM: Cory Call, Police Chief
DEPARTMENT: Police
SUBJECT: SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD AGREEMENT WITH THE SAN
MATEO-FOSTER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE AMOUNT OF
$21,600 FOR THE 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign the attached School Crossing Guard Agreement with the San Mateo- Foster City School District in the amount of $21,600 for the 2026-2027 school year.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City in collaboration with the San Mateo-Foster City School District (School District) discussed the renewal of an agreement to provide school crossing guard services for the school year. The funding level authorized for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-2026 was $21,600 towards helping the School District provide this service, and no change is recommended for FY 2026-2027.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS
For over a decade, the San Mateo–Foster City School District and the City of Foster City have provided school crossing guard services through a cooperative agreement.
The agreement requires the School District to manage the hiring of guards and the day- to-day operation of the Crossing Guard Program (Program). The City of Foster City has
been responsible for providing partial funding to the District for the administration of the Program and payment of the guards.
During FY 2009-2010, the City increased its contribution to the current level of $21,600 to fund the Crossing Guard Program. Both the District and the Foster City Police Department monitor the Program for effectiveness, and staffing reductions have been made in the past when warranted.
Subcommittees of the City Council and School Board have met in the past to explore alternative sources of funding for crossing guards (e.g., donations from individuals, organizations, businesses, grants, etc.). To the extent funding does come from these alternative sources, it will reduce the cost of the Program and the payment made by the City to the School District. Through the School District’s outreach to the parents of students by placing donation information in the “back-to-school” packets, it has raised funds for the Program in past years. The School District has agreed to include donation information again in the “back-to-school” packets for FY 2026-2027.
The San Mateo-Foster City School District will continue to manage the School Crossing Guard Program. The School District currently employs up to seven (7) guards who staff crosswalks throughout the school day at the following locations:
Gull Avenue in front of Audubon School
Beach Park Boulevard and Edgewater Boulevard
Beach Park Boulevard and Castor Street
Polynesia Drive and Niantic Drive
Shell Boulevard and Beach Park Boulevard
California Environmental Quality Act
This agreement is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21000, et seq. and the CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs. §§ 15000 et. seq.), including without limitation, Public Resources Code section 21065 and California Code of Regulations 15378 as this is not a “project” that may cause a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact is $21,600, which has been allocated in Fund Account Number 001- 0650-421-4251 in the FY 2026-2027 budget for this purpose.
CITY COUNCIL VISION, MISSION, AND VALUE/PRIORITY AREA
Public Safety and Social Equity
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 — Resolution
Attachment 2 — Agreement